Description:

Matt Raymond from the Library of Congress speaks with John Irving, who will appear at the 2009 National Book Festival in the Fiction & Fantasy pavilion on September 26, 2009, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.

Biography:

John Irving is the best-selling author of “The World According to Garp” (1973), “The Hotel New Hampshire” (1981), “The Cider House Rules” (1985) and “A Prayer for Owen Meany” (1989), among other novels. Irving’s fourth novel, “The World According to Garp,” became an international best-seller and later a film starring Robin Williams and Glenn Close. It was also a finalist for the American Book Award for hardcover fiction in 1979. Irving wrote the screenplay for the 1999 film adaptation of “The Cider House Rules” and won an Oscar for his work. His most recent novels include “The Fourth Hand” (2001), “Until I Find You” (2005) and “Last Night in Twisted River” (2009).

About the 2009 National Book Festival

The 2009 National Book Festival, organized and sponsored by the Library of Congress, was held on Saturday, September 26, 2009, on the National Mall in Washington, D.C.